highway

Humanitarian expert Stafford Clarry talks about how the Kurdistan Region of Iraq acted as a safe zone for US soldiers during the Second Gulf War, and how it has prided itself on its reputation for security since then.

This post is part of a collaboration with author Davide Rubini to collect the stories of Italy in the aftermath of the “Bribesville” (Tangentopoli) scandals of the 1990s. Find out more about Rubini’s new novel, il fischio finale (The Final Blow).

Journalist Wladimir van Wilgenburg describes taking an apartment in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, shortly before the Islamic State launched their surprise attack on Mosul. He says that most people didn’t expect their next move–an attack on the Kurdistan region–and continue to speculate about their motives today.

Jack Williamson remembers a time before Interstate 10 and the national highway system, when San Antonio and Houston were connected by a two lane road susceptible to flooding. There was one spot where cars would cross only with the help of an African American man driving a team of mules.

Storyteller: Jack Williamson

Date of Story: 1936Location of Story: Between San Antonio and Houston, TX, U.S.A.Location: San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.Date: 28 December, 2015